Nothing illustrates the power potential of a stroker Gen III/IV small-block better than a real-world engine strapped to the dyno. Thus far, the prior chapters have outlined how to select the myriad components necessary to assemble a stroker LSseries … [Click here to read more...]

With the short-block, cylinder heads, valvetrain, and induction installation sorted out, the last step before hitting the throttle is feeding that new LS stroker motor some fuel and spark. This can be achieved by using the factory EFI system, an … [Click here to read more...]

Cylinders heads are sometimes referred to as an engine’s lungs. That being the case, the intake manifold can accurately be described as an engine’s nostrils. As important as airflow through the cylinder heads is, it’s ultimately limited by the … [Click here to read more...]

Just 20 years ago, the prospect of a production pushrod engine turning 7,000 rpm—while being backed by a 100,000-mile factory warranty—seemed absolutely preposterous. Nonetheless, that’s exactly what GM did with the LS7, which it introduced in the … [Click here to read more...]

The cylinder heads might be the most important part of an engine in terms of producing horsepower, but unless something opens up the valves, the heads will flow no air at all. And zero airflow equals zero horsepower. The responsibility of opening and … [Click here to read more...]

SAM founder, Judson Massingill, lives by a simple adage: Get a head, flow a head, stay ahead. That’s because no single component on an engine affects power output more than the cylinder heads, so it pays big time to get educated.
This … [Click here to read more...]

Chevy engineers did a lot of things right with the Gen I small-block, but one of the engine’s most standout, yet underappreciated, design features is its oiling system. Although it was originally designed for a tiny 265-ci engine producing just 165 … [Click here to read more...]

Few components in an engine are as underappreciated as the connecting rods. While they’re not much to look at, connecting rods attach the pistons to the crankshaft, and they are, therefore, burdened with the responsibility of converting the … [Click here to read more...]

Engine builders compare an engine block to the foundation of a house so frequently that the analogy has become a vapid cliché. There’s good reason for this, however, as every component on an engine is attached to the block. The stresses of internal … [Click here to read more...]

With more than two dozen variants of the LS engine platform already in existence, choosing the right one for your stroker build can seem quite daunting. The Gen III/IV family covers the gamut, from plebian 4.8L truck motors to the beastly 638-hp … [Click here to read more...]

Not long after its debut in the 1997 Corvette, General Motor’s LS-series V-8 established itself as the gold standard of performance. Sure, other engine platforms can be built to match it in terms of sheer horsepower output, but none of them offer the … [Click here to read more...]

The internal-combustion process is downright brutal, and the pistons are quite literally on the front lines of the battlefield. The nature of converting reciprocating energy into rotating force means that the four-stroke process tries to eject the … [Click here to read more...]

Back in the stone age of building stroker motors, which was only about 15 years ago, hot rodders had to settle for miniscule displacement gains through primitive means, such as offset grinding production crankshafts. Fortunately, that’s no longer the … [Click here to read more...]

Maximizing the performance of a supercharged or turbocharged vehicle includes more than the power adder itself. A number of supporting components in the powertrain and chassis require upgrades or attention to not only realize the full horsepower … [Click here to read more...]

With a stout short-block filled with an all-forged rotating assembly, the remainder of a boost-ready engine assembly includes the cylinder heads and crucially important camshaft. All LS engines benefit from excellent cylinder-head airflow—some more … [Click here to read more...]

Builders seeking performance beyond the realm of bolt-on supercharger and turbocharger kits— exceeding about 10 pounds of boost, or so—likely need to consider the construction of a custom engine assembly designed specifically for forced induction. In … [Click here to read more...]

In the most basic terms, electronically controlled engines must be carefully calibrated to take advantage of engine modifications that affect airflow and fuel delivery requirements. That is more imperative for forced-induction engines, which process … [Click here to read more...]

Unlike most bolt-on supercharger systems, which can easily adapt to a variety of vehicles, turbo kits present unique challenges. There is more to contend with in the routing of inlet and outlet tubing between the exhaust manifolds, turbocharger(s), … [Click here to read more...]

This chapter offers in-depth looks at the two basic types of bolton supercharger systems: Roots/ screw-type compressors that replace the intake manifold and centrifugal systems that mount to the engine’s front accessory-drive system. Both systems are … [Click here to read more...]

This chapter discusses peripheral modifications that are commonly performed to support them, including fuel system upgrades, spark plug selection and the process known as “pinning” the crankshaft and balancer. For the most part, the factory cooling … [Click here to read more...]

Swiss engineer Dr. Alfred Buchi is credited with developing the first exhaust-driven turbocharger, sometime around 1912. By 1915, he published a proposal for employing a turbocharger on a diesel engine, but the idea was mostly ignored for the next … [Click here to read more...]

Superchargers come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are related by a common attribute: They generate boost pressure via an engine-driven mechanism. Typically, superchargers are driven by a belt connected to the crankshaft.
When it comes … [Click here to read more...]

In general terms, and assuming everything else is equal, an internal combustion engine with larger displacement flows more air than a smaller-displacement engine. The engine with the greater airflow makes more power.
This Tech Tip is … [Click here to read more...]

I am pretty sure that by now you are ready to turn the key and fire up the engine. Now take a deep breath and slowly walk away from the car. Yes, that’s right. Walk away. This may sound counter intuitive because you’re itching to get your LS-powered … [Click here to read more...]

Often the exhaust portion of a build is left to the very end when everything is bolted up; it’s often quite literally an afterthought. As I stated in Chapter 2, a sound strategy is to select the engine mounts, transmission crossmember, headers, and … [Click here to read more...]

As with other LS components, a massive number of computercontrol, harness, and electronic equipment options exist for this popular engine platform. Most swappers adapt the factory electronics to the particular F-Body, but installing aftermarket … [Click here to read more...]

You have a universe of transmission options for swapping an LS into an early F-Body, and like other components of your equipment package, the transmission you select should be based on application. Most owners stick to a transmission that has a … [Click here to read more...]

A high-performance LS engine generates much more heat than a Chevy Gen I small-block engine or a Pontiac V-8 that originally came in many of the F-Body cars, so you need a cooling system that effectively and efficiently dissipates and manages the … [Click here to read more...]

As has been mentioned before, the LS engines were not expressly designed to go between the frame rails of the first- or second-generation F-Body. Every modern LS engine is fuel injected while every early F-Body car carried a carbureted engine. Fuel … [Click here to read more...]

Many front-drive pulleys and kits are available from the aftermarket to suit a particular LS engine setup and accessory arrangement. Obviously, the LS engine was not designed specifically for first- or second-generation F-Body engine swaps. However, … [Click here to read more...]

You need to upgrade the suspension and chassis to harness and fully utilize the power of an LS engine, While the Camaro’s unibody frame and suspension were modern manufacturing technology for the 1960s, these are antiquated now. The stock … [Click here to read more...]

Years ago, installing an LS engine between the front fenders of first- or second-generation F-Body car was a challenging endeavor. That is no longer the case because aftermarket engine mounts, transmission crossmembers, and peripheral equipment are … [Click here to read more...]

Many choose iron blocks rather than aluminum versions because they are inexpensive and are easily stroked. They are cheaper and can handle bigger power loads and this is why you see iron-block versions juiced to the hilt with nitrous. However, to be … [Click here to read more...]

If you don’t know how to “slew” a value in an EFI calibration — this chapter is for you. Here, you will be able to learn the basics of EFI and calibration, and how to take advantage of the advanced Gen III V-8 features like the built-in crank … [Click here to read more...]

Throughout this book, we’ve T focused on using simple parts and straightforward buildups, but this chapter will show what it takes to build a highly custom, special-use engine. With this engine buildup, you’ll learn many processes to get the multiple … [Click here to read more...]

If there is any doubt remaining about the power potential of the Gen III LS1/LS6 engine architecture, the following real-world engine buildup should clear that up. Simply put, there is no other production 5.7-liter small-block pushrod V-8 engine … [Click here to read more...]

There are many fans of the iron-block 4.8-, 5.3-, and 6.0-liter Gen III V-8s that power many of the ’99 and later full-size Chevy and GMC trucks. That fan base is drawn to the Gen III V-8 because of its thick powerband, impressive peak power numbers, … [Click here to read more...]

There are very few engine upgrade packages that provide more real “bang for the buck” performance on the Gen III V-8 than the addition of CNC-ported cylinder heads, an intake, a camshaft, a pair of long-tube exhaust headers, and a modified engine … [Click here to read more...]

Knowing all the technical aspects of the Gen III V-8 engine is interesting, but more than likely, the information you really want to know is how to improve its performance. That’s why this chapter is about aftermarket components that can be bolted on … [Click here to read more...]

As simple as it may seem, just getting the Gen III V-8 out of a production vehicle can be frustrating if you haven’t done it before. Because of this, the following chapter covers as much detail as possible with visual support to show how to remove … [Click here to read more...]

If there is one great aspect to General Motor’s small-block V-8s, it is that they have a lot in common. This is especially true with the Gen III V-8. It means parts off the Z06 Corvette engine, the LS6, fit on 6.0-liter Gen III truck engines without … [Click here to read more...]

The General Motors (GM) Gen III LS1 V-8 is one of the many successful engines to come out of GM Powertrain since it was formed to be the global powertrain provider for GM. As this book goes to print, about 8,000 Gen III small-block V-8 engines are … [Click here to read more...]

There are a few acts of creation an automobile company must be great at if it plans on being successful in the car business. These actions usually include being able to:
This Tech Tip is From the Full Book, HOW TO BUILD … [Click here to read more...]

Maximizing the performance of a supercharged or turbocharged vehicle includes more than the power adder itself. A number of supporting components in the powertrain and chassis require upgrades or attention to not only realize the full horsepower … [Click here to read more...]

With a stout short-block filled with an all-forged rotating assembly, the remainder of a boost-ready engine assembly includes the cylinder heads and crucially important camshaft. All LS engines benefit from excellent cylinder-head airflow—some more … [Click here to read more...]

Builders seeking performance beyond the realm of bolt-on supercharger and turbocharger kits— exceeding about 10 pounds of boost, or so—likely need to consider the construction of a custom engine assembly designed specifically for forced induction. In … [Click here to read more...]

In the most basic terms, electronically controlled engines must be carefully calibrated to take advantage of engine modifications that affect airflow and fuel delivery requirements. That is more imperative for forced-induction engines, which process … [Click here to read more...]

Because of the additional modifications, including cylinder heads and a camshaft, the manufacturer’s tuning software wasn’t sufficient for this project. A custom tune was created at Stenod Performance and the Corvette delivered 508 hp and 439 ft-lbs … [Click here to read more...]

This chapter offers in-depth looks at the two basic types of bolton supercharger systems: Roots/ screw-type compressors that replace the intake manifold and centrifugal systems that mount to the engine’s front accessory-drive system. Both systems are … [Click here to read more...]

This chapter discusses peripheral modifications that are commonly performed to support them, including fuel system upgrades, spark plug selection and the process known as “pinning” the crankshaft and balancer. For the most part, the factory cooling … [Click here to read more...]

Swiss engineer Dr. Alfred Buchi is credited with developing the first exhaust-driven turbocharger, sometime around 1912. By 1915, he published a proposal for employing a turbocharger on a diesel engine, but the idea was mostly ignored for the next … [Click here to read more...]

Superchargers come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are related by a common attribute: They generate boost pressure via an engine-driven mechanism. Typically, superchargers are driven by a belt connected to the crankshaft. … [Click here to read more...]

In general terms, and assuming everything else is equal, an internal combustion engine with larger displacement flows more air than a smaller-displacement engine. The engine with the greater airflow makes more power.
This Tech Tip is … [Click here to read more...]

Cathedral port cylinder heads have been mistakenly dismissed by many in LS-series circles for being “old-tech.” However, their thin cross section allows for a high-velocity and smaller-volume runner design with excellent flow. For a street car, this … [Click here to read more...]

The cylinder block is the foundation the rest of the engine is built upon. If incredibly high horsepower, torque, and RPM are the goal, the needs may surpass the capabilities of even the best factory offerings.
This Tech Tip is From … [Click here to read more...]

Of course no book on cylinder heads would be complete without discussion of its supporting components.
Available intake manifolds and rocker arms should also be considered when choosing cylinder heads. It may add to the cost or help save money; it … [Click here to read more...]

This chapter covers any cylinder head that uses an intake or exhaust flange that is not compatible or consistent with OEM patterns. To put it in more simple terms, a typical set of LSX headers and exhaust manifolds do not bolt up and neither do any … [Click here to read more...]

Rectangular port heads boast a clear advantage in the flow department and are ideal for high-RPM, big-cubic-inch, and purpose-built drag racing applications.
Factory castings are capable of 360 to 400 cfm when ported properly, which can make it … [Click here to read more...]

Congratulations on a job well done—you’ve got a newly rebuilt LS sitting on an engine stand! Though the work of this book is basically over, we wanted to leave you with some final information that will help ensure your engine enjoys a trouble-free … [Click here to read more...]

It’s been a long road to get to where you’re at right now. Think about it: you came up with a plan of action for your rebuild before even turning a single wrench. You acquired the tools that were needed for the project, then set about the dirty … [Click here to read more...]

Let’s be honest: at this point, you’re probably getting a bit tired of reading each chapter introduction. Each one contains parent-like nagging of the importance of the material therein, and threatens you with grave consequences for not paying … [Click here to read more...]

Now that you’ve disassembled your engine and selected the engine components you’ll be using (or reusing) in your new engine, the next step is to select a machine shop to work with for your rebuild project.
This Tech Tip is From the … [Click here to read more...]

So your engine is all apart, and you’ve got containers and boxes of old parts seemingly everywhere. How much of it should you, or can you, reuse? A lot of this has to do with the state of wear your engine parts are in, but it depends even more so on … [Click here to read more...]

Now that you’ve got a place to work in and the right tools in hand, you’re probably anxious to get your LS engine apart. To the untrained eye, the teardown of a worn or broken engine might seem nothing more than a necessary evil—the greasy prelude to … [Click here to read more...]

So you’re thinking about rebuilding your Gen III/IV General Motors small-block? Congratulations—an engine rebuild can be a very rewarding task. Right now, the prospect of enjoying a freshened engine probably excites you most; but we hope that with … [Click here to read more...]

The wiring aspect of any LS swap is undoubtedly the most difficult. Most builders are familiar with fabrication techniques, trouble shooting, and parts swapping to make things work, but electronics rise to a much higher level of complexity. Wiring … [Click here to read more...]

Fuel-injection systems require careful planning and component selection. There are many components that go into a fuel system (including tank, fuel pump, lines, fittings, and filters) and each one has multiple replacement/upgrade options. So, simply … [Click here to read more...]

Each engine requires its own computer, and the programming must match the engine, so computers can’t be swapped even if the plugs are the same type. General Motors produces several computer types and each is built for a specific engine group. Some … [Click here to read more...]

Stock accessory drives were designed to fit in late-model vehicles with modern frames and spacing. Depending on which accessory drives are retained, clearance may or may not be an issue. However, the A/C compressor constantly presents an issue. It’s … [Click here to read more...]

Once the motor mounts have been sorted out, the next step is to choose an oil pan. Many stock oil pans are available for LS engines, each one designed for a specific chassis. With so many different oil-pan options, there is confusion as to which oil … [Click here to read more...]

The first piece of the puzzle of any engine swap is to actually mount the engine into the chassis. This can be as simple as bolting a set of adapter plates to the block or as complicated as fabricating an entirely new pair of frame stands. It all … [Click here to read more...]

Development for the Gen III engine began after the short-lived LT1/LT4 (1992–1997) engine failed to meet GM’s performance expectations. General Motors essentially started from square one and created the new Gen III V-8 engine, which shared very … [Click here to read more...]

For years now, enthusiasts have been retrofitting early project cars with LS-series engines and Gen III PCM conversions. The available features (cable or electronic throttle, cruise control, forced induction support, and so on) make the Gen III PCMs … [Click here to read more...]

Modern fuel injection systems have many sensors and switches installed at key locations on the engine and transmission to allow the engine (and transmission) computer to operate in the ways they are intended. These sensors and switches are used to … [Click here to read more...]

As the owner of EFI Connection, engine wire harness manufacturing is my specialty. In the early days of my career, I took on used harness rework for 1985–1992 Camaro and Firebird owners who wanted to add a TPI system to their car. I’ve also revised … [Click here to read more...]

All Gen III vehicles were available with cruise control. Engines with a cable-actuated throttle body require an electronic cruise control module with an internal stepper motor to pull and release a throttle cable to maintain vehicle speed. Engines … [Click here to read more...]

All too often PCM-controlled (or monitored) air conditioning is overlooked after the engine has been swapped, the new wire harness has been installed, and custom calibrated PCM has been received from the tuner. The A/C system is commonly one of the … [Click here to read more...]

Gen III PCM control goes beyond the engine to be one of best solutions for electronically controlled 4-speed automatic transmissions. Owners not using the LS1 PCM for engine control must look to the aftermarket for a standalone transmission … [Click here to read more...]

Gen III PCMs are powerful control modules but they are of little use without tuning software to change engine (and transmission) operating parameters.
Before getting too far into a discussion of electric fans and PCM calibrations, it is important to … [Click here to read more...]

General Motors introduced electronic throttle, or drive-by-wire, with the LS1 engine in the 1997 Corvette. Electronic throttle was released before cable throttle for the LS-series engine family. In 1998, the Camaro and Firebird received a cable … [Click here to read more...]

Let’s begin this chapter by agreeing that the “LS1 PCM” is just an ECU that has the designed purpose of controlling the sequencing of ignition and injector events based on a variety of sensor inputs. We can then agree that this ECU is uniquely … [Click here to read more...]

Production GM vehicles rely on the PCM to provide signal outputs to control the engine, gauges, electric fans, emissions equipment, air conditioning, and other equipment.s
This Tech Tip is From the Full Book, HOW TO USE AND UPGRADE TO GM GEN III … [Click here to read more...]

Vehicles are equipped with a variety of sensors that are used by the PCMs to perform their intended functions. Since the introduction of GM electronic fuel injection, the sensors have changed in form, but not function. In most cases, early GM sensors … [Click here to read more...]

Although Gen III PCMs are powerful control modules, they are of little use without tuning software tochange engine (and transmission) operating parameters. You may find that the best results involve a blend of tuning services at an experienced dyno … [Click here to read more...]

GM ECMs have come a long way since the introduction of the first multi-port injection V-8 ECM used in the 1985 TPI Camaro, Firebird, and Corvette. These early ECMs require a PROM (or “chip”) that contains the engine’s calibration data. While all TPI … [Click here to read more...]

The identification of a GM engine is commonly referred to by its RPO code. A Regular Production Option (RPO) is made up of three lphanumeric characters to uniquely identify a vehicle option. In 1985, General Motors introduced the 5.7L multiport … [Click here to read more...]